Tunnel evacuator system



Nov. 20, 1962 K. J. NEWTON TUNNEL EvAcUAToR SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June l5, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 13, 1960 I niv United States Patent Oiiiice 3,064,549 Patented Nov. 20, 1962 3,064,549 TUNNEL EVACUATOR SYSTEM Kenneth John Newton, 939 St. Helens St., Ville Jacques-Cartier, Quebec, Canada Filed June 13, 1960, Ser. No. 35,828 4 Claims. (Cl. 98-49) The present invention relates to a system for the evacuation of steam and fumes from tunnels, in particular railway tunnels which have to handle steam or diesel locomotives; the system according to the invention is also applicable to mines where trackless diesel machines are used.

The invention makes it possible to obtain full evacuation of the steam and fumes discharged by the locomotive while using a draught system of much lower capacity than would be necessary with conventional arrangements.

The invention consists essentially in that there is provided in the tunnel a longitudinal housing connected to the draught unit, the bottom of the housing being closed by a longitudinal strip which rests on seats provided on the housing, the strip being lifted by an appropriate member on the locomotive, to provide entry of the steam and fumes into the housing. It is evident that with this system the housing is only open at the poin-t where the steam and umes are discharged by the locomotive, so that a much smaller capacity of the draught unit is required, to maintain a predetermined under-pressure in the housing, than in conventional systems in which the housing is open all along the tunnel. y

Several embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a schematical, vertical, longitudinal section of a tunnel provided with a system according to the invention, shown in elevation;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary enlarged view of the system according to the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical, longitudinal section of the system in operation;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-section on line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-section on line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-section of a modified ern-bodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 7 is a cross-section of another embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 8 is a horizontal, longitudinal section of the embodiment of FIG. 7, taken on line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIGURE 9 is a cross-section of a still further embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 10 is a horizontal section of the embodiment of FIGURE 9, taken on line 10-10 of FIG. 9;

FIGURE 1l is a perspective view showing a joint between two portions of strip;

FIGURE 12 is a longitudinal section of a modified joint between two portions of strip;

FIGURE 13 is a vertical, longitudinal section of a further embodiment, taken on line 13-13 of FIG. 14; and

FIGURE 14 is a cross-section of the embodiment of FIG. 13, taken on line 14-14 of FIG. 13, showing, in detail, a type of chimney which is also applicable to the embodiments of FIGS. 6, 7, and 9.

'Ihe general arrangement according to the invention will be explained with reference to the first embodiment, illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5. As shown in FIG. 1, the tunnel 10 has suspended from its ceiling 11, by means of structural members 12, a longitudinal housing 13 which is connected to a blower 14 driven by a motor 15. The :blower 14 is adapted to maintain a predetermined under-pressure in the housing 13. Normally the motor 15 will be shut olf, and it will ybe switched on by conventional means, such as, for example, those used in level crossings, upon the approach of a train.

With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, the housing 13, which is of sheet metal, comprises a longitudinal opening in its bottom side, and seats 16 a the edges of the opening. A strip 17 of resilient material rests on the seats 16, thus normally closing the housing 13. As shown in FIGS. l, 3 and 5, the locomotive 18, which may be a steam or diesel locomotive has an exhaust chimney 19 at the top, and adjacent the exhaust chimney a roller 20 disposed at such a height that it is adapted to raise the portion of the strip 17 immediately adjacent to it, so that the steam or fumes from the chimney 19 can penetrate into the housing 13 and be evacuated by the blower 14.

In accordance specically with the tirst embodiment of the invention, .the chimney 19 is disposed under the housing 13, and the belt 17 is V-shaped in cross-section to facilitate entry of the steam or fumes into the housing 13. The seats 16 are inclined to accommodate the sides of the strip 17. The roller Ztl engages the .bottom edge of strip 17.

The embodiments of FIGS. 6, 7, 9 and 14 require a `dierent type of chimney, best illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14. The chimney 21 has connected to it a transverse tube 22 open at both ends, and extending into the slot in the bottom of the housing 23. The tube 22 is provided with a pair of rollers 24, which are adapted to raise the strip 25 from its seats 26. It will be seen that with this arrangement, the chimney discharges directly into the housing so that the evacuation of steam and fumes is more elicient and complete. The edges of the strip must be spaced from the side walls of the housing, to permit entry of the gases into the housing, and guiding means must be provided to prevent transverse displacement of the strip.

In the embodiment of FIG. 14, the guiding means consists of uprights 27 slightly spaced from the edges of the strip 25.

In FIG. 6 the strip 2S has fastened to its top surface a plurality of spaced rods 29, the ends of which are slightly spaced from the side walls of the housing 30.

The embodiment of FIG. 7 is similar to that of FIGS. 13 and 14, in that here again there are provided uprights 3l close to the edges of the strip 32. The uprights 31 however do not extend between the top and bottom walls of the housing 33 but are joined together by a cross-member 34, to form a bridge.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, the strip 36 extends with its edges adjacent the sides of the housing 35, however, the side portions of the strip 36 externally of the central bottom Opening of the housing are provided with closely spaced perforations 36' which allow passage of the gases into the housing.

Referring again to FIGS. 13 and 14, the chimney is preferably provided with a convex guide 37 for the strip. The tube 22 is provided at 38 on the upright chimney 2.1, so that transverse displacements of the locomotive will not damage the housing 23.

The strip may be made of any suitable resilient material, such as rubber, FIGS. l to 5, thin gauge sheet metal, FIGS. 6 to 10 and 12 to 14, or leather, FIG. 11. If the strip is made of a material which does not stretch, the joints between portions of the strip should be slightly extensible; for example, as shown in FIG. 11, a plate 39 may be secured to the end of one portion 4d of the strip, and the other portion 41 is provided with bent leaf springs 42, which engage the plate 39.

In case the strip is made of a metal having a certain degree of elasticity, a conventional sheet metal joint 43 may be used, as shown in FIG. l2.

The embodiments of the invention which have been illustrated and described are given merely by way of example and various modiiications are possi-ble within the scope of the appended claims.

.'The embodiments of the invention in which an ex` clusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: i Y 1. A gas-evacuator system for tunnels comprising: a duct adapted to be fixed longitudinally on top of a tunnel; means for producing a partial Vacuum in said duct in order to remove exhaust gases from vehicles passing through said tunnel; a longitudinal central opening, through the bottom of said duct, having a predetermined width; seats formed at the edges of said opening; an elongated strip of exible material, wider than said predetermined width but narrower than the bottom of said duct, resting by gravity, on said seats, said strip being V-shaped in cross-section with its apex pointing downwardly and projecting away out of saidopening; each of said vehicles having an exhaust chimney and means on said vehicle adjacent said chimney to raise a limited portion of said elongated strip and let exhaust gases from said chimney into said duct.

2. A gas-evacuator system for tunnels comprising: a duct adapted kto be xed longitudinally at Ithe top of a tunnel; means for producing a partial vacuum in said duct in order to remove exhaust gases from vehicles 4 engages into the opening and raises said strip a limited portion to allow exhaust gas to project laterally into said duct.

3. A gas-evacuator system for tunnels comprising: a duct adapted to be fixed longitudinally at the top of said tunnel; means for producing a partial Vacuum in said duct in order to remove exhaust gases from vehicles passing through said tunnel; a longitudinal central opening through the bottom of said duct having a predetermined width; seats formed at the edges of Said opening; an elongated strip of exible material lying inwardly of said duct and terminating short of the side walls thereof; the portion of said strip extending on either side of said opening being perforated; said strip resting by gravity on said seats; said vehicles having an exhaust chimney,

at least one freely rotatable roller extending trans- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Wedmark May 10, 1910 957,396 1,114,001 -ng oct. 20, 1914 1,631,442 Wagich June 7, 1927 2,923,227l Hawley Feb. 2, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 19,831;k Great Britain oct. 2, 1905 

